Opus North unveils £17m Morecambe retail park

PLANS have been unveiled for a £17m retail and leisure park at the former Frontierland fairground sit at Morecambe Bay.

Opus North, the Ilkley-based developer, wants to build a 100,000 sq ft complex of fashion shops, a hotel, restaurants, a family pub and 376 parking spaces on the 10-acre site.

If approved by planners, the new Bay Shopping Park, which is next to a 70,000 sq ft Morrisons store, will create 500 jobs and fill the site on Morecambe Promenade.

An application will be submitted to Lancaster City Council at the end of next month.

Opus North managing director Andrew Duncan said: “We are proud to be bringing forward major investment in a well-known but disused site. It is our intention to create a lasting legacy of jobs and investment for Morecambe.

“The reaction of local Morecambe residents, when we exhibited our plans, was extremely positive. 87% of those who commented on our proposals were in favour of them, which is very encouraging. This is the only retail development of a comparable size which is scheduled to open in the Morecambe and Lancaster region before 2017. It will provide a massive boost to the local economy and regenerate an area of the bay which has fallen into disrepair in recent years.”

Frontierland, part of the Blackpool Pleasure Beach empire, closed in 2000. Supermarket chain Morrisons bought the land in 2001 and initially aimed to open a Freeport-style shopping complex. A Next, Homebase and gym/sports shop opened on the site in 2008 but the rest of the land remained vacant.

Andrew Duncan added: “For the past 12 years, this site has proved difficult to develop. Now, however, we believe we have devised plans which will create a thriving retail and leisure park of which Morecambe can be proud.”
Opus North specialises in office, industrial and retail developments.

The property agents on the Bay Shopping Park are Leeds-based WSB and Morgan Williams of Warrington.